Rapido announces smoke-fitted locos for OO and HO

[AY Mod]

It’s full steam ahead at Rapido UK

 

·       Ready-to-run smoke system

·       Smoke-fitted ‘OO’ locomotive - TBC

·       Smoke-fitted ‘HO’ locomotive - TBC

 

 

Rapido Trains UK has signed an exclusive deal with TRS Trains to bring smoke-fitted locomotives to both the UK and North American markets.

 

TRS Trains currently retro-fits models with its revolutionary (and top secret!) technology. This synchronises the exhaust with the ‘chuff’ sound on the decoder, expelling the smoke vapour through the chimney just like a real locomotive, rather than the foggy mist that some smoke generators make.

 

The initial deal covers two projects: a large ‘OO’ gauge locomotive for the British market, which Rapido UK will unveil next year whilst Rapido Trains Inc will fit the smoke system into a forthcoming North American ‘HO’ project.

 

Sales & Marketing Manager Richard Foster said, “We’re thrilled to be able to offer TRS Trains smoke system in our models and are delighted that TRS has chosen us to work with us. It is a huge privilege to be able the only model railway manufacturer to be able to make and sell models fitted with this technology.

 

“This technology is fantastic and looks so realistic, especially when you see models fitted with working drain cocks. What’s amazing about it is that it just uses cold water. No oil or heating elements or anything which might be hazardous or might damage your model.

 

“We don’t know exactly features we’ll be able to include as development is still underway but we can say that it will take Rapido models to a whole new level.”

[MrTea]

Ooh. That’s exciting. 
 

“a large ‘OO’ gauge locomotive for the British market, which Rapido UK will unveil next year” - interesting… That’ll keep us guessing!

 

[Hilux5972]

Interesting they say they are the only manufacturer fitting and selling this technology. The TRS specific tech yes, but Hornby is making their own which is very similar. 

[Helmdon]

27 minutes ago, MrTea said:

Ooh. That’s exciting. 
 

“a large ‘OO’ gauge locomotive for the British market, which Rapido UK will unveil next year” - interesting… That’ll keep us guessing!

 

B16 please. At this stage it’s basically the missing link/holy grail

 

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by Helmdon

[Oldddudders]

1 hour ago, MrTea said:

Ooh. That’s exciting. 
 

“a large ‘OO’ gauge locomotive for the British market, which Rapido UK will unveil next year” - interesting… That’ll keep us guessing!

 

It will. Might it be a tie-in w the Titfield models? That would suggest 4-6-0 rather than 4-6-2. 

[NoggintheNog]

Nice.

 

MTH and Broadway Limited have been using synchronised smoke in steam and diesel for a while, it can be quite effective although you can never get that black plume that a hard-worked diesel used to produce. 

[Schooner]

Bravo Rapido!

 

More interesting than the pre-fitted locos is the RTR system. Presumably, we can fit this ourselves at home? That's a major development from sending a loco off to TRS for specialist work, and something I'll be watching more closely than the flagship releases...

[MarkSG]

Hmm. If smoke-fitted models become as popular as DCC sound, every model railway exhibition is going to end up a bit like an old-fashioned Working Men's Club where you can barely see through the haze 😀

 

Joking aside, this is, I think, the logical next step. We've probably reached the point where models can't, realistically, get any more detailed without making them simply too fragile, and sound is also now becoming common, so exploring other aspects of realism is the only way forward. And smoke effects is an obvious choice for that.

 

Now, if only we can get realistic, moving models of humans and animals!

[Michael Hodgson]

7 minutes ago, MarkSG said:

Now, if only we can get realistic, moving models of humans and animals!

 

https://www.conrad.com/p/liliput-46223-h0-motorised-hand-lever-inspection-trolley-gandy-dancer-standard-1601888

[Michael Hodgson]

If sound adds a hundred quid to the price of a loco, how much does this add ?

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, MrTea said:

Ooh. That’s exciting. 
 

“a large ‘OO’ gauge locomotive for the British market, which Rapido UK will unveil next year” - interesting… That’ll keep us guessing!

 

 

Sooooooooooooooooo.....

 

Which 4-6-0 has Hornby neglected for a while?

 

[JSpencer]

I'm hoping the large OO gauge locomotive will be Southern!

 

Just stating my bias. 

 

Shame the units are not sold seperately

[Hilux5972]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

 

Sooooooooooooooooo.....

 

Which 4-6-0 has Hornby neglected for a while?

 

Given their penchant for GWR stuff, I’d hazard a guess at a County 4-6-0.

[Michael Hodgson]

6 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

Sooooooooooooooooo.....

 

Which 4-6-0 has Hornby neglected for a while?

 

GT3

[MrTea]

I’m not sure this counts as a ‘large’ locomotive, but it is in the National Collection?

https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/gnr-990-henry-oakley-gnr-990-lner-3990/

 

Alternatively, what’s large, famous and notably pulled the LNER dynamometer car? 🤔

[MarkSG]

14 minutes ago, MrTea said:

I’m not sure this counts as a ‘large’ locomotive, but it is in the National Collection?

https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/gnr-990-henry-oakley-gnr-990-lner-3990/

 

Alternatively, what’s large, famous and notably pulled the LNER dynamometer car? 🤔

 

Is there anything noteworthy which pulled the dynamometer car that hasn't already been done fairly recently?

[JohnR]

9 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

It will. Might it be a tie-in w the Titfield models? That would suggest 4-6-0 rather than 4-6-2. 

 

Why? One of the first locos seen in the film is a large 4-6-2 the model version of which is over 20 years old....

[Michael Hodgson]

34 minutes ago, MrTea said:

I’m not sure this counts as a ‘large’ locomotive, but it is in the National Collection?

https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/gnr-990-henry-oakley-gnr-990-lner-3990/

 

It was considered pretty large in its day. 

 

Certainly larger (apart from its driving wheels, as illustrated by the OP)  than the Stirling singles which preceded it on first line duties, albeit not as big as Hogwarts Castle.

[Les1952]

SOUNDS pretty revolutionary-

 

but how many years ago were the Dapol Black Label A4s?  With smoke synchronised to the sound and running very well for long periods on the locos I saw at Dapol's open days.....

 

Les

 

[Dunsignalling]

On 26/11/2022 at 11:46, JSpencer said:

I'm hoping the large OO gauge locomotive will be Southern!

 

Just stating my bias. 

 

Shame the units are not sold seperately

AIUI, TRS is (or was evidently not ) closely associated with the Bournemouth West exhibition layout and locos equipped by them still feature extensively on it. That may bode well for a large Southern loco being on Rapido's to-do list. 

 

Alternatively, of course, Hornby may consider it timely to re-tool a Bulleid Pacific or two as convenient carriers for introducing their equivalent system. But only if they manage to dial back their recent LNER obsession a little!

 

Let's just hope that both don't rule it out assuming the other will do it!

 

John

Edited December 4, 2022 by Dunsignalling
Correction

[Blue Max]

TRS were never associated with the loco’s on the Bournemouth West layout, they were designed and built by another person  entirely.

[AY Mod]

On 27/11/2022 at 06:43, Dunsignalling said:

TRS is (or was) closely associated with the Bournemouth West exhibition layout and locos

 

As Blue Max says; very definitely not. I do know who's behind that.

[rogerzilla]

Middle-aged men and water mist is a recipe for legionella! 

[Stubby47]

On 26/11/2022 at 20:11, MarkSG said:

 

Is there anything noteworthy which pulled the dynamometer car that hasn't already been done fairly recently?

 

[Cough]

Tail lift luton van

[/cough]

[Corbs]

1 hour ago, Stubby47 said:

 

[Cough]

Tail lift luton van

[/cough]

 

Too soon 😭